This invention generally relates to a carton having a carrying handle and more particularly to a carton having a strap handle which has great resistance to impact applied thereto when the carton is lifted by holding such a handle.
French Patent No. 6927932 discloses a carton having a strap handle, which carton includes a pair of side panels foldably joined to top and bottom panels to form a tubular structure for accommodating a group of articles. The strap handle is struck in part from the top panel and in part from the side panels so that it extends across the top panel and is joined at its opposite ends to the side panels. One problem with this type of carton is its vulnerability to tearing of the handle due to impact applied to the handle when the carton is lifted by holding the handle. One solution to this problem is to form the carton from relatively thick paperboard. However, this would not be an economical solution. Another solution is to provide the handle with a reinforcement by means of flaps foldably joined entirely along the opposite side edges of the handle. Such a reinforced strap handle is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,485 to Focke, wherein the reinforcing flaps are folded in superposed relationship with the handle. Although this would prevent tearing at the intermediate portion of the handle, the handle still tends to tear at either end thereof because the flaps cannot reinforce the joint region between the handle and each side panel at which stress tends to be concentrated. Attaching a separate reinforcing elements to the handle may be another solution. This would, however, cause increase in number of the carton manufacturing processes and thus would not be desirable from the view point of productivity.
What is needed, therefore, is a carton which has a strap handle having great impact strength, which is of an economical construction and which can be efficiently manufactured.